Mazie Countryman, a proud citizen of the Northern Arapaho, Eastern Shoshone, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and the Navajo Nation, is a powerful voice for Indigenous youth leadership, community wellness, and climate justice. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Administration at Brigham Young University–Idaho, Mazie balances her academic commitments with deep community involvement, striving to create […]
Weston Bird, a proud member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nations, is quickly emerging as a strong voice for Native youth leadership. At just 16 years old, Weston is already making a significant impact as the 2025-2026 Great Plains Regional Representative on the National UNITY Council Executive Committee. Entering his senior year of high […]
When UNITY summer intern Roshaun Norcross (Navajo) joined acclaimed Phoenix artist Antoinette Cauley and the Phoenix Mercury for a month-long mural mentorship, she stepped into more than an art project—it became a transformative journey rooted in cultural expression, professional growth, and community connection. “This month-long program helped me be an even bigger part of the […]
For Alina Sanchez (Miwok – Wilton Rancheria), leadership this summer meant connecting deeply with culture while preparing her peers for the school year ahead. After attending the June 26–July 1 National UNITY Conference in San Diego — a week of workshops, regional caucuses, and relationship-building — she brought her leadership home to the Pacific region. […]
A 75-foot-long string of red ribbons carrying names and messages now hangs at a memorial site for San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike, who was reported missing in Mesa, Arizona, and whose remains were found 100 miles away near Globe, Arizona, earlier this year. During the National UNITY Conference, held in late June in San […]
This summer, Ethan Hedgepeth (Cherokee & Tuscarora) brought his voice, his presence, and his energy to both cultural and creative spaces. At the National UNITY Conference in June, he joined other Native youth at the UNITY Drum, lending his voice to songs that carried through the gathering. He also stepped into a new role — […]
When Earth Ambassador Laylalanai Gocobachi returned from the UNITY Conference, she didn’t slow down—in fact, she sped up. Within days, she was developing workshops, meeting with local leaders, and hosting hands-on activities that wove together environmental education, cultural preservation, and youth leadership. Her July became a powerful example of how one committed leader can inspire […]
Bosho — Hello, my name is Victor Organista, and I am honored to represent the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation of Mayetta, Kansas, as the Southern Plains Area Representative for the 2025–2026 National UNITY Council Executive Committee. Currently a sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, Victor is pursuing a degree in Media Communications. […]
This month, UNITY Earth Ambassador Codie Horse-Topetchy, Kiowa, Comanche, and Otoe-Missouria, spent a transformative week at the Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit hosted by the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas Law School. Selected for the Animal Science track, she immersed herself in workshops and field trips that […]
This July, McKaylin Peters of the Menominee Nation embodied the spirit of leadership and community engagement through a month filled with cultural representation, athletic mentorship, and civic involvement. One of her proudest moments came at the UNITY Conference in San Diego, where the Menominee Youth Council attended for the very first time. Formed in February, […]
